L’aménagement durable des vieilles forêts boréales : mythes, pistes de solutions et défis

Goff, Héloïse Le; Grandpré, Louis De; Kneeshaw, Daniel; Bernier, Pierre Y.

doi:10.5558/tfc86063-1

Cited by 3 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…This could compensate for the smaller increase in growth following disturbance of these stands. Moreover, this strategy could be of interest if forest managers aim to favor the superior wood quality of slow-growing trees rather than solely maximizing wood volume [53,90].…”

Section: Implications For Managementmentioning

confidence: 99%

Unveiling the Diversity of Tree Growth Patterns in Boreal Old-Growth Forests Reveals the Richness of Their Dynamics

Martin

Krause

Fenton

et al. 2020

Forests

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Research Highlights: Radial growth patterns of trees growing in old-growth boreal forests in eastern Canada can be grouped into a small number of simple patterns that are specific to different old-growth forest types or successional stages. Background and Objectives: Identifying the main radial growth trends in old-growth forests could help to develop silvicultural treatments that mimic the complex dynamics of old-growth forests. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the main radial growth patterns and determine how their frequencies change during forest succession in old-growth forests, focusing on boreal landscapes in eastern Canada. Materials and Methods: We used dendrochronological data sampled from 21 old-growth stands in the province of Quebec, Canada. Tree-ring chronologies were simplified into chronologies of equal length to retain only primary growth trends. We used k-means clustering to identify individual growth patterns and the difference in growth-pattern frequency within the studied stands. We then used non-parametric analyses of variance to compare tree or stand characteristics among the clusters. Results: We identified six different growth patterns corresponding to four old-growth forest types, from stands at the canopy breakup stage to true old-growth stands (i.e., when all the pioneer cohort had disappeared). Secondary disturbances of low or moderate severity drove these growth patterns. Overall, the growth patterns were relatively simple and could be generally separated into two main phases (e.g., a phase of limited radial increment size due to juvenile suppression and a phase of increased radial increment size following a growth release). Conclusions: The complexity of old-growth forest dynamics was observed mainly at the stand level, not at the tree level. The growth patterns observed in true old-growth forests were similar to those observed following partial or stem-selection cuts in boreal stands; thus, these silvicultural treatments may be effective in mimicking old-growth dynamics.

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Section: Implications For Managementmentioning

confidence: 99%

Unveiling the Diversity of Tree Growth Patterns in Boreal Old-Growth Forests Reveals the Richness of Their Dynamics

Martin

Krause

Fenton

et al. 2020

Forests

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…Old-growth forests consequently represent an important issue in forest management, with different planning processes aimed at minimizing the loss of old-growth forests and reducing the impacts when it is harvested (Mosseler et al 2003; Le Goff et al 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Structural diversity and dynamics of boreal old-growth forests case study in Eastern Canada

Martin

Fenton

Morin

2018

Forest Ecology and Management

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Old-growth stands are considered as key components of boreal forest diversity and their preservation is largely integrated into management plans. However, while the differences between old-growth and young forests have largely been studied, little is known about the diversity of boreal old-growth forests. In managed landscapes, the efficacy of old-growth conservation plans may be reduced depending on how these old-growth forests are considered: as a single, homogeneous and steady-state forest type or as multiple, diverse and dynamic forest types. To fulfil this gap, our objectives were: (1) to create a typology of old-growth boreal structures; (2) to observe how these structures are influenced by environmental and temporal parameters; and (3) to elaborate a succession model of old-growth structural dynamics along temporal and environmental gradients. Seventy-one mature and overmature stands were sampled within a 2200 km 2 territory situated in Eastern Canada. Cluster analysis divided the sampled stands into two even-aged types, three transition old-growth types and six true old-growth types. Slope, minimum time since last fire and organic horizon depth were the three environmental and temporal parameters influencing the oldgrowth structures. Paludification-related productivity decline was present in only one old-growth forest type, while the other sites remained productive. These results allowed the creation of three succession models of the dynamics of old-growth stands in the boreal forest of eastern Canada. Boreal stands can undergo numerous structural changes once the old-growth succession process is initiated. An increase in structural diversity when the true old-growth stage is reached, coupled with a variety of secondary disturbance characteristics, favours multiple pathways of structural evolution of these ecosystems over time. Therefore, forest management planning should incorporate this complexity to improve the preservation of old-growth forests in managed territories.

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Ageing forests and carbon storage: a case study in boreal balsam fir stands

Harel

Thiffault

Paré

2021

Forestry: An International Journal of Forest Research

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The pattern of change in carbon (C) accumulation with forest ageing can vary greatly amongst different forest types. Documenting how C accumulates in various forest ecosystems in the absence of logging makes it possible to predict what would be the outcome of extending forest rotations or in dedicating more land to conservation on C storage. This study was conducted in boreal balsam fir (Abies balsamea (L.) Mill.) forests of Quebec, in eastern Canada. We compared carbon stocks in forest pools (aboveground (live) biomass, deadwood, FH horizon and mineral soil) of mature (70 years after harvest) vs old-growth stands (stands with no signs or history of human disturbance). Total ecosystem C stocks were not significantly different between mature and old-growth stands. However, as mature stands transition to old-growth stage, there appears to be a shift of C from live biomass pools towards deadwood and soil FH horizons. Coarse woody debris in old-growth stands were also found to be at more advanced stages of decay. The variability of C stocks was also high amongst old-growth stands; however, there was no obvious difference in structural diversity between mature and old-growth stands. Results suggest that ageing balsam fir stands through the lengthening of forest rotations (e.g. past the maturity age of 70 years) or by placing them under conservation, while not creating an important C sink, still contributes to maintain large forest C stocks across landscapes. Preserving or increasing the presence of old-growth forests is an important aspect of ecosystem-based forest management; our study concludes that it could also be compatible with sustainable forest carbon management.

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L’aménagement durable des vieilles forêts boréales : mythes, pistes de solutions et défis

Cited by 3 publications

References 20 publications

Unveiling the Diversity of Tree Growth Patterns in Boreal Old-Growth Forests Reveals the Richness of Their Dynamics

Unveiling the Diversity of Tree Growth Patterns in Boreal Old-Growth Forests Reveals the Richness of Their Dynamics

Structural diversity and dynamics of boreal old-growth forests case study in Eastern Canada

Ageing forests and carbon storage: a case study in boreal balsam fir stands

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